Storage battery.



No. 725,067. PATENTED APR W. GARDINBR & J, R. MAGMILLAN. STORAGE BATTERY.

NO MODEL.

UNITED STnTns VILLIAM GARDINER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AND JAMES R.

MA CMILLAN,

BATTERY COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

STORAGE BATTERY.

'sruorritcarlon form'iag part of Letters Patent No.. 725,06*), dated April 14, 1 eos. Application iiled January 3l, 1902. Serial No. 91.878. (No model.)

to tu w/to'm t may concern: v

Beit known that-we, WILLIAM GARDINER, a resident of the city of Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, and JAMES R. MACMILLAN, a resident of the city of Menominee, county of Dunn,and State of Wrisconsin, citizens ofthe United States, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Storage Batteries; and we do hereby declare that the following io is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. l I5 This invention relates to improvements in storage batteries, and more particularly to a storage battery or secondary cell designed to provide a cellhaving high efficiency at a low cost, also designed to occupy a relatively zo small space.

The invention consistsinA the matters hereinafter described, and more fully pointed out and dened in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of the cell, showing the same with the positive-pole electrode in a raised position.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2 2 of Fig. l,

with the positive-pole electrode in position in the cell. Fig. V3 is an enlarged-transverse 3o section on line 3 3 of l.

In said drawings the positive-pole electrode AIits closely Within the negative electrode B.

As shown, .both are tubular and iit cloself,7

in a cell-jar, which maybe cylindrical or rectangular, as preferred. The outermost or negative-pole electrode, as shown, comprises aperforated cylindricalshellb of chemicallyformed sheet-lead, which fits closely about a similar perforated cylindric shell of hard rub- 4o ber or otherinsulatingmaterial, (indicated by 12'.) Said insulating-shell is provided with a closed bottom b2, havinga central downward projection b3, adapted to support ,the bottom of the shell. Within the cylindrical shellof insulating material is'provided a lining of canvas or other fabric, (indicated by 65,)which is permanently pasted, cemented, or other- Wise attached upon the inner wall of said insulating-shell and which may also cover the The posi- 5o bottom of said shell, if preferred.

' tive-pole element A is of less diameter than the element B and comprises a closely-perforated cylindrical shell of hard rubber 0r other insulating material, (indicated by tu) within which is also secured a lining of canvas, 55 fabric, or other suitable material, which acts to prevent the active material from escaping` therefrom. Any one of several different forms ofacti ve material may be used. Preferably, however, -the active material used com- 6o prises finely granular or comminuted lead in as nearlyapure state as can conveniently be obtained, or, if preferred, the same :may contain more or less mercury. Extending downwardly into said active material is a bar or bars D of relatively pn re lead, which may also be chemically formed, ifpreferred, and which,

as shown in the drawings, in which six of such bars or rods are indicated, may be integrally connected at the top in a conductor ol. The 7o upper end of said insulating-shell ct is lled with Wax or other material CZ, through which the conductor B projects, with the effect of effectually sealing the upper end of the shell. The lower end of said shell a is lled with hard rubber or the like, which rests in the bot-tom of the shell h.

The electrolyte used in a cell such as describedmay be sulfuric acid or other preferred fluid, in which both electrodes are sub- 8o merged,

The operation is as follows: Where sulfuric acid is used; the usual reactions take place, the comminuted active material of lead and the bars or rods D being changed into lead peroxid and the shell b changed into spongy lead. Inasmuch as said active material in Vthe positive-pole electrode is in a comminnted ornely-grannlar form, practically all ofthe same is turned very quickly into a 9o peroxid in charging, and owing to its close relation with the rods D high current efficiency is assured.

Obviously, if preferred, it is not essential that said casings be cylindric or rectangular, as shown, inasmuch as the same may be conveniently made in hexagonal or other prismatic form adapted to greatly economize space by fitting very closely together in a case or the like. If preferred, also, separat- Ioo ing-strips in the forni of rubber washers (indicated by d2 and d3) may be secured upon theends of the inner electrode-shell, as shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3, for the`purpose of holding the electrodes properly spaced from each other. While lead has been mentioned as the metal used and sulfuric acid as the electrolyte, other metals may be utilized in cells constructed as described, and different electrolytes` may be employed.

Many details of the construction may be varied Without departing from the principles of this invention.

We claim as our inventionl. The combination in a secondary cell, an inner tubular electrode con taining active material in a finely-comminuted form, washers of insulating material on said electrode acting as separators, a fabric lining in each of said tubular electrodes and a complemental electrode also in tubular form Awithin which said last-named electrode fits.

2. The combination With a tubular electrode closely perforated, of an insulating-shell within the same, aliningfabric therein, acomplemental electrode, also tubular, and comprising a perforated shell containing active materials in a finely-comminuted fo'rm,wash ers of insulating material on said inner electrodes spacing the same from the outer, and one or more metallic rods extending downwardly in said active material and connected in a conductor at their outer ends.

3. The combination with a perforated outer tubular electrode of chemically-formed sheet metal, of perforated inner insulating-casing fitting closely within the same, an insulatingbase thereon, an inner electrode also tubular in form and comprising an outer perforated shell, an inner lining fabric, active material A therein comprising finely-comminuted lead,

one or more rods of relatively pure lead eX- tending downwardly through said active material and integrally connected at their tops in a conductor, separating-washers on said inner electrode spacing the same from the outer, a jar adapted to contain said elements and an electrolyte filling said jar and in which said elements are submerged.

4. The combination with an outer shell of perforated and chemically formed sheet-lead, of a shell of insulating material fitting closely within the same and forming asupport therefor, a lining fabric in said insulating-shell, an inner electrode comprising a perforated shell, a fabric covering one side thereof and finelycomminuted active material contained in said shell, and a conductor extending above the cell divided at its lower end into a plurality of parts extending downwardly in the active material and the upper end of said shell being hermetically sealed.

5. The combination in a secondary battery, in a containing-jar of an outer tubular electrode of perforated metal, an apertured insulating-shell supporting said electrode, a lining fabric thereon, an inner electrode comprising a -perforated shell of insulating material, a sheath of fabric covering one side thereof, active material in shell, rods of metal extending downwardly therein and connected at their upper end to form a conductor and a ring of insulating material on each end of the inner sheath.

6. A storage battery comprising an outer perforated tube of metal, an inner core of finely comminuted metal insulated therefrom, rods of metal similar to the com minuted metal extending downwardly therein and forming a conductor, and an electrolyte adapted to act on one or more of said metallic bodies.

7. A storage battery comprising an outer perforated tube of spongy lead,an inner core of finely-comminuted lead insulated therefrom, rods of metal similar to the com minuted metal extending downwardly therein and forming a conductor, and an electrolyte adapted to act on one or more of said metallic bodies.

In witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names in the presence of two subscrbing witnesses.

WILLIAM GARDINER. JAMES R. MAC/MILLAN.

Witnesses: y

C; W. HILLS, ALFRED C. ODELL. 

